It is a known practice to remove self-adhesive labels, such as price labels, from packages to which they are adhered and to replace them with labels bearing a different, typically higher, price. Under inflationary economic conditions during which the price of an article increases several times while the article is on the shelf, a significant effort must be expended in removing old price labels prior to replacement with new ones.
Although various common implements such as knives and razor blades have been used to remove such labels from substrate surfaces, a specialized device for this purpose has been developed and is the subject of the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,452. The device disclosed therein basically resembles a thin chisel in a lubricating sheath. The device includes a blade having a generally rectangular frontal portion, with an upper surface, a planar lower surface, and a surface angularly inclined from the upper surface to the lower surface, thus defining straight side-cutting edges and a straight leading edge. Additionally, a handle is set at an elevation above the flat lower surface to allow the user to hold the device without interfering with the substrate surface. The device also includes a sheath having inner walls of absorbent, lubricant-impregnated material for applying a film of lubricant to the blade to prevent the label from sticking to it.
While this device is highly effective for its stated use, it has some disadvantages. The blade, typically consisting of thin metal, requires the application of lubricant, so that the adhesive from the label to be peeled does not stick to the metal surfaces. It will be readily appreciated that the sheath and the implement may become separated. Moreover, the lubricant supply may diminish and its replacement may be impractical or inconvenient for the user. The use of lubricant is particularly critical, since when the supply of lubricant dwindles, the label tends to stick to the upper surface of the thin, flat blade, thus impeding further operation. Additionally, the prior art device presents a danger to the user, since it is characterized by straight sharp edges. Additionally, if the blade is not held absolutely flat with respect to the substrate surface, it may mar said surface.